The present invention generally relates to an agricultural machine.
More particularly, it relates to an agricultural machine which has a cutting mechanism with side walls, a reel, and an exchangeable attachment which is releasably connected with the cutting mechanism, and also with shaped parts which are arranged on the cutting mechanism and on the attachment to assemble them in proper position, wherein the reel is rotatably supported in sliding shoes which in turn are synchronously displaceable forwardly and rearwardly relative to the cutting mechanism on lateral reel supporting arms for adjusting the reel.
The cutting mechanism of the harvester thresher of the above mentioned general type includes substantially a mowing bar, a mowing table, the side walls as well as a drawing-in screw which is rotatingly drivingly supported in a cutting mechanism trough for supplying the harvested product to a subsequent inclined conveyor. Such a cutting mechanism is designed for harvesting all known grain sorts. The reel supporting arms are vertically adjustable about a joint horizontal axis by a hydraulic cylinder-piston unit. For adjusting the reel relative to the mowing bar, the sliding shoes are also mowed by a controlled hydraulic cylinder-piston unit. The harvester thresher described hereinabove must however harvest not only the generally known grain sorts, but also special field fruits, such as for example rape, sunflower, soybeans, castor beans, etc. With the grain cutting mechanism the harvesting of these fruits is not possible or can be performed only with a significant loss.
Special attachments have been developed which must be coupled to the cutting mechanism when needed. In order to displace the attachment in a proper position to the cutting mechanism, shaped parts are fixed on the side walls of the cutting mechanism and the attachment and designed as auxiliary means or centering means. For coupling the attachment to the cutting mechanism, the attachment is moved from the harvester thresher. The shaped parts are then joined substantially in one another. In order to move the attachment into the end position for coupling, it is however necessary to move and orient the attachment by one or several people with auxiliary means such as for example lever bars. The coupling of the attachment is time consuming and also quite complicated, especially when the required auxiliary people are not available.